Shocking defilements stalk Bomet as victims cry out for justice
A signpost at Bomet County Department of Children Services.
What you need to know:
- Of reported cases, four perpetrators were convicted and are serving their jail terms
- Six cases were withdrawn because victims, parents and guardians failed to appear in court to testify in fear of victimisation
A Bomet County employee was arrested last week and charged with defiling a two-year-old girl.
Joel Rono Chebusit, who appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion on Tuesday, was accused of defiling the child on October 23 at his house in Bomet town.
Mr Chebusit, an ambulance driver, was also charged with an alternative count of committing an indecent act with a minor, contrary to Section 11(1) of the Sexual Offences Act No.3 of 2006.
The suspect denied the charges and was released on a Sh200,000 bond or a surety of the same amount.
The case will be mentioned on November 9.
The incident is among many defilement cases that have been reported in Bomet County, with cases filed at the Bomet and Sotik courthouses revealing disturbing trends.
More than 20 defilement cases have been recorded in the past year in Bomet and Sotik courts, said County Director of Children’s Services Duncan Ngeno.
Cases withdrawn
Of reported cases, four perpetrators were convicted and are serving their jail terms. But six cases were withdrawn because victims, parents and guardians failed to appear in court to testify in fear of victimisation.
In the latest case, Gideon Koech, the family’s lawyer, said there had been several attempts to compromise the case by tampering with the P3 form (for reporting assaults), a crucial document in a defilement case.
He claimed the suspect's family had attempted to bribe the mother of the child and settle the matter out of court for Sh1 million.
"They want to take advantage of my humble background to bribe me to settle the case out of court, but I cannot betray my daughter,” the mother said.
“She cannot sleep. She is still traumatised and afraid of people. I don't know if my child will ever get justice after the doctors gave me a false P3 report indicating that she was not defiled and yet she was.”
She added that her daughter cries all night due to pain.
The matter was reported to the police one week ago and the suspect was arrested and charged, said Bomet Central Sub-County Police Commander Musa Nomai.
Negotiating with offenders
He said a sensitisation programme was underway in the sub-county on sexual and gender-based violence, adding that defilements, rapes and other forms of sexual assault were on the rise.
He urged the public to refrain from negotiating with alleged offenders and settling matters involving children out of court.
Earlier this month, a 10-year-old girl in Bomet County died from what was believed to be complications from rape.
The girl was allegedly defiled several times by her uncle four years ago and underwent a series of corrective surgeries before she died.
Her family is still crying out for justice after the suspect was released in 2019 under unclear circumstances.
Teacher from hell
In July, a primary school teacher in Konoin constituency was accused of sexually abusing three pupils aged 11, 12 and 13. He was arrested following complaints from parents and pupils.
Mr Ngeno regretted that many cases go unreported because families and police officers collude with perpetrators.
Many accused persons threaten victims’ families with dire consequences if they pursue cases.
Mr Ngeno noted that the main perpetrators are close relatives and drug abusers.
"You find that our girls are expectant but still in school but the teachers fail to report to the authorities for the suspects to be arrested," Mr Ngeno said.
Three months ago, a casual worker at a construction company was jailed for 51 years for sexually assaulting a secondary school boy.
